West Brom player draws criticism from Sky Sports pundit during Hull City clash | OneFootball

Sky Sports pundit Robert Earnshaw has slammed the performance of West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer during the club's draw with Hull City on Saturday lunchtime.

The match away at Hull City ended in a 1-1 draw, with Hull City having taken the lead in the 35th minute through Fabio Carvalho, before being pegged back by Darnell Furlong's 43rd-minute equaliser.

Robert Earnshaw criticises Alex Palmer

It was for that Carvalho goal that Earnshaw did not hold back on his criticism when live on Sky Sports on Saturday lunchtime.#

Although the former Baggies striker went in on the defence in general, he labeled Palmer 'lettuce wrists', which is far from a compliment.

"They’re all sleeping. Everybody falls asleep," Earnshaw said on the West Brom defence when analyisng the Hull City goal, live on Sky Sports Main Event (24/02, 13:25) (via West Brom News)

"Carvalho looks around and sees that the defence has fallen asleep and they’re deep and then he says okay if I receive the ball, I’m shooting here.

“Once he hits this shot, Palmer actually gets there, but I’ve got to question him because once you get there and you’re a goalkeeper, those lettuce wrists, you have to get there and save it.

"Poor goalkeeping.”

However, as Earnshaw suggests, replays showed that Palmer did get to the ball, but was unable to keep it out.

Alex Palmer's 2023/24 Championship statistics

Despite the above criticism, it has generally been a solid season for Alex Palmer in between the sticks for the Baggies.

Indeed, having taken the reigns as the club's number one last season, Palmer has so far showed no signs of giving it up.

So far this season, for example, Palmer has made 34 appearances in the Championship, and his stats in those games have been decent.

He has conceded just 32 goals, which is less than one per match, for example, and has also kept an impressive 15 clean sheets.

That actually makes Palmer the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in the division, although this is an honour he currently shares with Leeds United's Illan Meslier.

West Brom league position

Despite the criticism of the goal conceded away at Hull City, to come away with a point against a play-off rival was a decent result for the Baggies.

Indeed, following the result, and results that took place later on Saturday afternoon, West Brom remain in fifth in the division, one point ahead of sixth-placed Hull.

Norwich City and Preston North End are currently the closest challengers to the top six, sitting in 7th and 8th respectively with 52 points on the board. Coventry City in 9th are on 51, too, and will no doubt be a threat as the season continues.